Refrigerator deodorizer



Aug. 28, 1962 M.'J. SPRITZ REFRIGERATOR DEODORIZER Filed June 9, 1959 .uilllil 000 0000 5 INVENTOR.

MEL V//\/ J 6Pfl/7Z United States Patent 3,051,395 REFRIGERATOR DEODORIZER Melvin J. Spritz, Boston, Mass. Larrimore, Inc., P.O. Box 116, Somerville 43, Mass.) Filed June 9, 1959, Ser. No. 819,052 3 Claims. (Cl. 23957) The present invention relates to a canister and more particularly to a canister adapted to be suspended or secured to a grating.

The present invention provides a canister adapted to be removably secured to a grating or the like and is particularly adapted to be embodied in a refrigerator deodorizing canister. In such an embodiment it is important to removably secure the canister close to the grating so as not to obstruct the insertion or removal of objects from the refrigerator.

In the novel arrangement contemplated a canister is formed with a flat container having a unique grate engaging member or plate secured by resilient means to the container whereby the engaging plate may be projected from below into engagement with the grate to secure the container in juxtaposition thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flat canister adapted to be snugly secured adjacent to gratings or the like, in such a manner that it will not become easily dislodged or cause obstructions of the area beneath the grating.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a canister adapted to contain a deodorizing material which may easily be inserted or secured to gratings, a refrigerator or the like.

One more object of the present invention is to provide a canister adapted to contain deodorants or similar products of simple manufacture and certain operation that is adapted to be secured to a wide variety of different sized gratings or the like.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially fragmentary side elevation of the invention with the securing means in position for insertion between grates.

FIG. 2 is a partially fragmentary side elevation similar to the view of FIG. 1 showing the canister secured to gratings or the like; and,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a canister having side walls 1, top wall 2 and bottom wall 3. The canister is preferably cylindrical in shape. It is formed with a plurality of openings 5 in its upper surface through which air may diifuse. The canister may contain any type of volatile substance which may be suspended in an absorbent material such as cotton as indicated at 6. The top and bottom walls 2 and 3 of the canister may be press fitted into engagement with the side walls 1 as illustrated at 7. An engaging member or plate 9 is formed of a fiat metal stock with the ends of the plate 10 flared downwardly and substantially normal to the center 40 of the plate 9. The center 40 of the plate 9 is punched out to form a loop 11. The plate 9 is centrally located over the top wall 2 of the canister. A connecting bar 14 having a loop 15 at its upper end engages the loop 11 in a loose interengagement adapted to permit the pivice oting of the plate 9 with respect to the bar 14. The bar projects through the top wall 2 of the canister and terminates at its'lower end in a bent over lower end 17. (See in FIG. 1.) This lower end 17 engages a flat plate or washer-like member 18. Between the plate 18 and the inner surface of the top wall 2 is positioned a helical spring 19 which urges the bar 14 into the canister. This in turn tensions the plate 9 towards the top 2.

When the canister is positioned immediately underneath a shelf formed of wire rods or gratings, the plate 9 is positioned above the grating with its ends 10 positioned on opposite sides of adjacent rods 25 which form in part the grating. The upper peripheral edge 26 of the top wall 2 bears against the lower portion of the rods 25, thereby forming a rigid clamping arrangement adapted to secure the canister in a tight fit against the lower surface of the grating.

In order to properly insert and secure the canister, plate 9 is turned on its edge, as for example, edge 28 (FIG. 3) as illustrated in FIG. 1. Under these conditions, the helical spring 19 is compressed securing the edge of the plate 9 tightly against the top wall 2. The plate, while normal to the top 2, is projected upwardly between adjacent bars 25. When the upper edge 26 of the canister touches the lower portions of the bars 25, the plate 9 is rotated until its wide surface is parallel to the top wall 2. The plate is also rotated until the length of the plate 9 is normal to the length of bars 25, and theends 10 are positioned in a fashion as illustrated in FIG. 2.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a canister adapted to contain a volatile substance and a grating of parallel rods above and touching said canister, said canister having a top wall parallel to said grating, a bar projecting from within said canister upwardly through said wall and between adjacent rods of said grating, a flat engaging plate positioned over and engaging said adjacent rods, means pivotally interengaging said bar and engaging plate, said means permitting said plate to be tilted in various planes to facilitate the engagement of said plate with said rods, spring means positioned within said canister and tensioning said bar toward said spring means whereby said top wall and flat engaging plate on opposite sides of said adjacent rods are tensioned into a clamping arrangement against said rods.

2. In combination a canister adapted to contain a volatile substance and a grating of parallel rods above and touching said canister, said canister having a top wall parallel to said grating, a bar projecting upwardly through said canister wall and between adjacent rods of said grating, a flat engaging plate having lips formed at opposite ends and extending in a direction normal to the center of said plate with said center positioned over and engaging adjacent rods and said lips projecting downwardly on opposite sides of said adjacent rods, means pivotally interengaging said bar and said center, spring means positioned within said canister and tensioning said bar toward said spring means whereby said top wall and flat engaging plate are tensioned into a clamping arrangement on opposite sides of said rods.

3. A canister adapted to be attached in secure engagetnent to the lower surface of a grating having parallel rods comprising a canister having a top wall, a bar projecting upwardly through said wall, a flat engaging plate having lips formed at opposite ends of said plate and flared in a direction normal to the center of said plate, means pivotally interchanging said bar and said center of said engaging plate adapted to permit pivoting of said center between positions parallel and normal to said walls and tilting of said plate in various planes, spring means positioned within said canister and tensioning said bar toward said spring means whereby said top Wall and plate center are urged toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bodine June 6, 1893 Baumann Jan. 16, 1914 

